Blacksmith going all 21st Century!
Hiya, thought I'd better say hello! I run a small workshop where I bash lumps of hot metal, though I mostly make woodburning stoves, which means lots of mig welding too. I also have a very sweet capstan lathe and have recently acquired a centec 2a mill with a vertical head, which I would rather like to convert to cnc! The machine is a bit unusual as the head has a fine downfeed but does not look like the centec one, which is a bit strange. I hope to use it for milling aluminium blocks up to 25mm thick. I keep seeing kits all over ebay but have absolutely no idea where to begin, so please be patient and expect lots of thick blacksmith type questions...
Cheers,
Julian
Re: Blacksmith going all 21st Century!
Post a pic of the centec. Ive got one with a fine feed vertical head as well. I believe that three different types of head were made but I cant be sure about that.
Re: Blacksmith going all 21st Century!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Fireweaver
. . . thick blacksmith type questions...
Cheers,
Julian
Don't you go upsetting your fellow Blacksmiths now :whistle:
Re: Blacksmith going all 21st Century!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
EddyCurrent
Do you go upsetting your fellow Blacksmiths now :whistle:
Ah, that should be read as "thick blacksmith" rather than "thick, blacksmith type":welcoming:
I'll try to figure out how to upload a picture of the head, but I'm sure it's not a centec, it's too square and the feed is different. It has a lever for rapid feed, but the worm mechanism must be oivoted out of the way in order to use it.
Re: Blacksmith going all 21st Century!
Fireweaver
Welcome to the Forum M8
Have sent you an PM
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Blacksmith going all 21st Century!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Web Goblin
Post a pic of the centec. Ive got one with a fine feed vertical head as well. I believe that three different types of head were made but I cant be sure about that.
I hope this works!
Attachment 11145
You can see the fine feed and the two bolts on sliders so the worm pivots away allowing use of the rapid feed lever. You can also see the bent knob on the gear range selector and the small chunk out of the bed.
The quill is MT2 and is threaded, the collets go straight into the taper and don't need a drawbar as the nut holds them up into the taper. I only figured that out today haha.
Re: Blacksmith going all 21st Century!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
EddyCurrent
upsetting
Hmmm, Very Good! ;-)
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Blacksmith going all 21st Century!
That's not a centec head. I think that both the MKI and MKII heads did not have a fine down feed at all and its definitely not the MKIII head, pictured below. Don't know what machine its from though.
Attachment 11146
Re: Blacksmith going all 21st Century!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
magicniner
Hmmm, Very Good! ;-)
And I try and avoid upsetting, it takes ages, I prefer to start thick and reduce! :-)
Re: Blacksmith going all 21st Century!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Web Goblin
That's not a centec head. I think that both the MKI and MKII heads did not have a fine down feed at all and its definitely not the MKIII head, pictured below. Don't know what machine its from though.
Attachment 11146
As I thought. It's quite a decent head but I can't identify it!
